Members of the social organisations on Monday staged a protest rally in front of the State Assembly here demanding a CBI inquiry into the irregularities in the distributions of lands and houses in Bhubaneswar.
Activists of the India against Corruption (IAC), Odisha, Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhiyan (OSAA), Odisha Durniti Sangharsha Samiti and Naba Nirman Samiti staged a dharna at the lower PMG protesting the State Govt’s mindless allotment of lands and houses through the General Administration (GA) Department since 1990 to several influential persons.
The members of the civil bodies said that the CAG report has recently unearthed the irregularities of land allotment from the year of 2000 to 2012 only, but an investigation should be ordered to uncover the rampant corruption that started from 1990. “The Taskforce formed by the direction of the CM to probe the alleged land and house allotment scam is eyewash,” said OSAA convener Pradip Pradhan and added, “We don’t believe in this taskforce.”
IAC member Malay Kumar Tripathy said the ruling party would not want to take action against its MlAs or other party people; therefore, a Central agency like the CBI should be entrusted the cases. “We strongly demand time bound CBI inquiry and exemplary punishment to all the culprits involved in the scam and scrap of the Government land lease system for any sort of personal game apart from the provision for the needy,” said Tripathy. Among others, Uma Shankar Mishra and Dr Kulamani lead the rally.